The Nationals’ Member for Shepparton, Kim O’Keeffe, is demanding that the Minister for Agriculture funds the Fruit Fly Program across the Goulburn Murray Valley (GMV) in the 2025-26 Victorian Budget.
Queensland Fruit Fly (QFF) numbers have been managed under an Area Wide Management Program for the GMV since funding was first introduced in 2017/18.
The investment paid dividends immediately with a 95 per cent reduction in QFF numbers, but since then funding has continually been reduced with the original 409 monitoring traps reduced to just 200.
With no funding certainty for the AWM program beyond June this year, Ms O’Keeffe raised the urgent need for dedicated funding in Parliament in October last year with the Minister for Agriculture unable to provide a guarantee that the program would continue.
In response to questioning the Minister stated: “The purpose of the Victorian Fruit Fly Program was to support transition as industries and communities learn to live with and manage QFF.”
“Suspending funding will in no way help protect the level of risk QFF poses to fruit growers. Ongoing funding is vital to suppressing numbers and backing our fruit growers,” Ms O’Keeffe said.
“We’ve recently seen the tragic situation at Katunga Fresh which just goes to show how vulnerable the horticulture industry is to pests and viruses.
“We know the current program works and the modelling we’ve seen indicates QFF numbers could increase by 600 per cent without a properly funded Fruit Fly Program.
“Managing QFF requires constant vigilance and the Minister needs to understand the significant impact cutting funding will have on our fruit growers who will face incredible cost and wastage.”
“Fruit growers have raised with great concern the damage QFF will cause if it’s allowed to spread without adequate controls,” Ms O’Keeffe said.
“Horticulture is worth $1.6 billion across the Goulburn Murray Valley and jobs are also on the line if QFF spreads without control.
“I’ve called on the Minister once again to fund this vital program in the upcoming budget.
“The Allan Labor Government must act to protect our region and provide the security our local fruit growers desperately need.”